The distinctive genre of 9/11 literature about children

Abstract

The article explores the genre specifics of American 9/11 novels about children. The genre features of 9/11 literature include a modification of the classic educational novel. Such genre elements as the hero’s growing up process, their journey beyond ordinary life, and their return as changed individuals, still form the primary narrative focus of these works. However, the temporality and the impetus for action development are altered compared to the classic educational novel, which is typical for the subgenre of the initiation novel. The main catalyst of the plot becomes the traumatic experiences of the characters, representing either the trauma of loss or mental traumatization of a loved one. The interplay of road motive and motive of search symbolizes personal development and introduces elements of a detective quest, while romantic motives are linked to the outcome of the initiation trial and the formation of the character’s personality. To implement the tasks set, this study employs cultural-historical and comparative-typological methods with elements of structural analysis. The scientific novelty of this work consists in conducting a study of the genre features of literature about children and teenagers thematically based on the events of September 11, 2001, on a little-studied corpus of artistic material. For the first time in Russian science, the author of the article attempts to identify and summarize the characteristic genre features of this body of works. The main results of the study lie in revealing of hybridization of genres: the initiation novel is supplemented with elements of detective and romance novels. An important aspect here is the presence of motives of travel and heroism, coupled with the problem of the trauma of not-knowing, traumatic experiences of loss, and orphanhood. This article deepens scientific knowledge on the issue of the specificity of 9/11 literature, highlighting the process of transformation and enrichment of traditional genre elements in the context of historical events that have been reflected in the literary work of the representatives of contemporary culture.